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Sgt. Redentor Aledia, the drum major for the 10th Mountain Division Band, leads the Central New York Veterans Parade through the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes last year. Local veterans are expected to benefit from a federal grant of almost $600,000 awarded today to Catholic Charities of Syracuse to help homeless and at-risk veterans and their families.
(John Berry / The Post-Standard)

The grants will help about 120,000 people nationwide, including 200 homeless or at-risk veterans and their families in Central New York, the VA said.

Nationally, it is third year the VA program has issued grants to help prevent veterans from becoming homeless, and to find housing for those who recently became homeless. A study in 2012 found about 62,000 veterans were homeless nationwide.

Catholic Charities will use the money to provide temporary assistance to veterans in Onondaga County who need help paying rent, utilities or moving costs in order to avoid becoming homeless, and to help veterans who are already homeless find housing.

Chris Curry, associate director of Catholic Charities, said the program's goal is to help 200 veterans and their families, expanding on an initial program that helped 100 local veterans. He said the new grant will also allow Catholic Charities to add two new case workers to an existing program staff of three .

U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei, D-DeWitt, advocated for Catholic Charities of Syracuse in the competitive grant process.

"This important funding will ensure that Central New York's veterans and military families have the housing resources and other VA benefits they deserve," Maffei said in a statement. "Too often, veterans and their families face significant challenges here at home, and this critical funding connects them to the critical services they have earned."

The VA said it provided about $100 million to assist about 50,000 veterans and family members in the past year. About 90 percent of those who completed the program were able to find permanent housing.